Open your mind

Actually.. open my mind. I seem to be one of those people that used to have an idea and I would just run with it. Although now I take more time to think and pray, sometimes my mind is still very closed. Remembering back to Salt on Thursday, when Troy announced the new Salt Company in Iowa City and he asked that 100 people should pray and consider going, the first thought that came through my mind was " not me".

I could start listing reasons...
- I'm comfortable
- I love the community here, I'm very involved at Iowa State
- Finally know Ames like the back of my hand..
- I'm lazy
and on and on and on..

However as I did my bad habits of shoving all this stuff away, God keeps bringing it up.. as I pray and think, a campus visit maybe on the horizon..

The Human Spirit

I hate psycholgists that say "Humans are animals with an enlarged frontal lobe." " In chimp studies it can be deduced that similar results in humans.." Shut up. Humans are not animals, we are creations of God, and have a spirit.

I think about the recent case with that Florida teen, Michael Brewer that was set on fire by his five friends. He ran was doused with rubbing alcohol, set on fire, and ran 100 yards and jumped into a swimming pool. He had 2nd and 3rd degree burns on 65 percent of his body. He then sat on lawn chairs for 5 minutes after making a 911 call. I can't even fathom this, what would I have done if 5 of my friends set me on fire? Would I have the courage, or mindset to be able to run 100 yards and jump into a pool? Would I have just sat there and died?

This is such a tragic case, and I pray that the kids that did this would be able to be forgiven and that all sides would be able to have divine forgiveness. I hope someday to have this kind of spirit, to be so young and yet suffer so much but survive. What would I do if children set my child on fire? Would I be able to forgive them? I hope with God's grace I can. I hope I never have to.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/11/19/dnt.teen.burned.parents.wfor.wfor

Existence

"Eternity is written on our hearts." Who writes eternity on our hearts? This is a question that every single human at some point in their lives ask themselves.

In Psych 314 today, we studied Existential Psychology, or the scientific study of the mind and existence. Because as humans are we given this unique trait of knowing we are mortal and will die (wonder who gave that to us?)

In order to cope with the knowledge of death we think of things that help us live on.

She paralleled a faith in some sports team with a faith in Jesus. Whatever it takes to help us get through our day.

Really interesting because the Bible explains all these questions.

Question 1- How do you get Eternal Life?

For this is eternal life to know God through Jesus Christ- John 17:3

Question 2- What is the purpose of life?

James 1:27

²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Okay, so I don't understand Athetistic arguements at all. Since most of them haven't even read the Bible, or at the most skimmed over it in a combative way to look for "inaccuracies."

Crazy how the Bible can..


teach, rebuke, correct and train

¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,

I'm living for God. Makes somewhat more sense than living for the Yankees. Lol..

The Chills

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4NlyZqJhwk

When the Holy Spirit wants to make a point it seems like a chill is a common occurance. As I watched the Hillsong United trailer, I was just so captivated by the narration and the images.

This is what makes me cry, angry, and completely sure that only Christ's love will be able to penetrate.



I don't care how much we reduce this atrocity. One child that is suffering like this is too many.

I am so disgusted right now with myself, with our society. Sitting around watching "reality" TV while reality is going on. I don't see NBC making a reality show on the real life of child slaves.

Pray those in slavery, daily, God has such a heart for children, and I know He is hurting more than I could ever hurt.

This world will fade away...

But your word remains FOREVER Jesus, we will shout your praise!

1 Peter 1:23-25 (New International Version)

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For,
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
²⁵but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.

Thought of this verse tonight when I was lifting weights. I am so convicted on how much I love to keep my body strong and how weak I feel when I don't work out. Took 3 days off lifting cause of various reasons, laziness, Halloween, blah blah blah. Came back and curling that 100 pounds that was super easy a week ago was terrible. And you know these are things that guys look at, oh crud lost some muscle tone, can't do as much weight.

I am just amazed this scripture verse because the world we live in is so temporal. Our bodies, our present lives, our statuses, and personal glory will all fade away.

Matthew 16:25-27 (New International Version)

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Michael Jackson had the world, millions of fans idolizing and basking in his glory. He even baptized his cast in his "glory." In the end he died a lonely death, and no one took the time to share the Gospel with him. What good is it for him now? He gained the entire world and gave up his soul.

God let me strive after You, not my glory, not my status or abilities, because all these will fade away. My short life is but a mist, here one moment and gone another.